Binary Fortress Software

In an effort to improve my desk ergonomics I purchased a Logitech G5 Mouse and a Logitech G15 Keyboard about 4 months ago. I was tempted to review them immediately, but I wanted to wait and see how well they worked over the long term. First, let me give you a bit of background information. This is the most money I have ever spent on input devices. Normally I just use the cheapest keyboard and mouse I can find, and I’m usually pretty happy. This time I wanted treat myself a little bit and get something nice.

Logitech G5 Mouse

First, let me just say that this should be a fantastic mouse. It is well constructed, has lots of buttons and looks pretty cool. The G5 is also one of the few mice that allow you to adjust the weight by adding or removing little round weights into a slot in the bottom. However, I found that any weights at all made it too heavy and aggravated my wrist, so I stuck with no weights to make it as light as possible. Also, the mouse is asymmetrical and tips to the right side. I’m not sure if this is supposed to make it more ergonomic but it bugs the heck out of my wrist. I have no problems using my daughter’s regular old Logitech cheapy mouse, but as soon as I start using the G5 again my wrist aches. Not good. My last issue is with the scroll-wheel clicking to the left and right. I’m sure this has some purpose, but I have never used any software where I have needed this. What I have found is that when I try to middle-click on a link in Firefox to open a new tab, the scroll wheel frequently clicks to the left or right instead of straight down. I find that I have to be very precise when clicking the scroll-wheel, very annoying.

Pros:
- Well constructed
- Adjustable weight
- Lots of buttons

Cons:
- Tilted angle bugs my wrist
- Scroll-wheel left/right clicking is annoying

Verdict:
This mouse isn’t my cup of tea at all. Between the scroll-wheel left/right clicking and the tilted mouse angle I constantly feel like I’m fighting with the mouse to get things done. I’m going to be replacing this mouse in the very near future.

Logitech G15 Keyboard

Let me start this review by saying that this is without a doubt the best keyboard I have ever used. The keys have the perfect amount of travel and resistance, and they’re not too noisy, but not perfectly quiet either. The layout is familiar, unlike some other Microsoft or Logitech keyboards. There is no F-Lock key (thank goodness) and there is still an insert key near the home key (unlike some other Logitech models). Now for the extra goodies. The keys are all backlit using orange light, and there are 3 levels of backlighting: low, high and off. There are 6 programmable buttons down the left-side of the keyboard, and 3 memory modes for a total of 18 programmable keys. I’ll be honest, I haven’t taken advantage of these yet, but if I was an avid PC gamer (like WoW) I’m sure they would be useful. The G15 even comes with an integrated LCD screen that can display just about anything. There are dozens of plugins available, one even written by yours truly. You can display the current time and date, your current iTunes song (and even control playback using the buttons) or just about anything else. An excellent example of a homemade plugin is one created for the racing game GTR which displays tire temperatures and other vitals on the mini-screen – I’ve used this plugin quite a bit. Lastly, for all the hardcore gamers out there, there is a button that toggles the Windows Start key on and off. There is nothing worse than being in a game, accidentally hitting the Start key and being dumped to your desktop. The only downside I can say about this keyboard is it’s price. It ranges anywhere from $60 to $120 depending on the store and whether it’s on sale. I would argue that it’s worth every penny, but I spend a lot of time parked in front of this keyboard.

Pros:
- Backlit keys
- Great key feel
- 18 programmable keys
- LCD screen
- Multimedia buttons
- 2 Integrated USB ports

Cons:
- Expensive

Verdict:
If you are in the market for a new keyboard and you have a few extra bucks to spend, I can’t recommend this keyboard highly enough. If you are an avid gamer (especially an MMORPG) there is no excuse not to own this keyboard.